Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) infections—where bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites become resistant to the medications designed to kill them—pose significant health and economic challenges for Canada and the world.
This project is tackling AMR by developing an innovative and cost-effective monitoring system using wastewater-based surveillance and livestock samples, which can be analyzed to detect genes associated with AMR.

By utilizing environmental eDNA to detect AMR genes in the samples, this project will provide a broader understanding of resistance patterns within communities. The goal is to establish correlations between environmental and clinical AMR data, creating a comprehensive approach to monitoring and managing AMR in Canada.

This project will develop a portable “Lab-in-a-Box” system to enable rapid, onsite detection of eDNA (AMR genes) in wastewater. This tool will be particularly valuable for remote and underserved regions, as it preserves sample integrity and provides faster results than traditional methods, which often require shipping samples to centralized labs. The project will also develop an Ethical and Inclusive Governance Framework to ensure that eDNA data collection and analysis in Indigenous communities respects their rights and is conducted in a culturally sensitive manner.

The project will:

• Optimize and validating new eDNA-based tools to enhance AMR surveillance at local and national levels. Public health officials, including Ontario Public Health Units (PHUs) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), will have access to near real-time data on AMR trends. This will enable them to detect AMR hotspots, implement targeted interventions and adjust antimicrobial use policies, and in keeping with the Governance Framework to ensure Indigenous rights are respected.
• By providing evidence-based data, help expand the use of eDNA technologies as surveillance tools, optimize antibiotic use, reduce treatment failures and curb the spread of AMR, improving health outcomes and reducing healthcare costs across Canada.
• Provide opportunities for collaboration to foster a continuous exchange of knowledge between clinical and environmental surveillance systems. This comprehensive approach will significantly improve Canada’s ability to respond to AMR and guide public health efforts to combat this growing global health crisis.

Rising temperatures are increasing the health risks posed by disease vectors, such as ticks and mosquitos. For Indigenous communities, these risks are compounded by significant health disparities, geographical isolation and mistrust of health-care systems rooted in colonial practices. Traditional medical testing also often proves intrusive, costly and impractical for remote First Nations.

This project will help support health resilience and equity for two First Nations communities in Ontario through development and implementation of new eDNA/eRNA tools for wastewater and environmental monitoring.

These innovative tools will enable systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of community wastewater to monitor zoonotic and vector-borne diseases, which are increasingly prevalent due to climate change. To ensure this project serves community needs and cultures, it is adopting a co-development model with Indigenous partners, prioritizing community rights, interests and expectations.

This project will:

• Integrate environmental, wildlife and public health data into a “One Health” approach, ensuring human, animal and environmental health are monitored cohesively.
• Work to ensure the application of wastewater and environmental monitoring tools will align with Indigenous values, avoiding data colonialism. To achieve this, the project will adopt a co-development model with Indigenous partners, prioritizing community rights, interests, and expectations.
• In collaboration with community stakeholders and partners—including Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the Feather Board Command Centre, and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness —the project will develop culturally appropriate frameworks based on the First Nations principles of Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession (OCAP). These frameworks will guide the ethical and sustainable use of eDNA and eRNA tools, ensuring the generated data directly benefits the communities while respecting Indigenous sovereignty.
• Drive development of sensitive, accurate and rapid eDNA and eRNA analytical methods to enhance the detection of avian-borne, vector-borne and zoonotic diseases, enabling timely public health responses.
• By supporting Indigenous data sovereignty and OCAP principles, empower communities to independently manage their health data, strengthening local capacity for disease surveillance and response while fostering Indigenous leadership in health resilience.